If you want to improve your putting game on the golf course, it’s essential to have great green reading skills and a feel for the speed of the greens. Putting is a critical skill that can make a significant difference in your overall game. Being able to sink putts consistently can cover up weaknesses in other areas of your golf game. To become a great putter, you need to practice and develop two key skills: green reading and proper speed control. These skills are complementary, meaning that your line and speed need to match for the ball to go in the hole.
Green reading is the ability to determine the correct line for your putt based on the slope and grain of the green. To practice this skill, it is important to pay attention to the break of the putt and adjust your line accordingly. Speed control, on the other hand, involves hitting the ball with the right amount of force to reach the hole. If your speed and line are not in sync, it will be challenging to make putts consistently. By honing your green reading and speed control skills, you can become a more effective putter on the course.
In a video by Lifetime GOLF Top 100 Teacher Peter Kostis, he shares a speed trick to help you make more putts. The key is to match the line of your putt with the speed at which you hit the ball. Kostis suggests hitting a putt with a lot of break and playing it far outside the hole. If the putt comes up short, cut your read in half and try again. By adjusting your read based on the speed of your putts, you can improve your ability to match line and speed effectively.
Practice is essential to becoming a better putter. By following Kostis’ advice and experimenting with different reads and speeds, you can develop a better feel for how to marry line and speed on the greens. Over time, this practice will help you make more putts and lower your scores on the golf course. Remember that becoming a great putter takes time and dedication, but with consistent practice and the right techniques, you can improve your putting game and become a more confident player on the greens.